Feb. 8, 1930 – Jan. 5, 2023
Shrewsbury/Northborough – The Family of Grace Cartmell Share her passing on January 5, 2023.
In Loving Memory of Our Mom, Grace Eleanor Studley-Farson-Cartmell:
Mom was born on February 8,1930 in Worcester, MA, the daughter to Frederick R. and Maud S. (Crabtree) Studley. She was the third in a family of four children. Her older siblings were John R. Studley of Auburn and Olive S. Duff of Worcester, both predeceased her. Her younger sibling, Shirley M. Dwinnell lived in Northborough for over 50 years and recently she and her husband Paul Dwinnell relocated to an assisted living facility in Auburn.
Mom was married to our father Floyd Rodney Farson June 4, 1949. They had us, Frederick O. Farson of Buhl ID, and Shirley K. Childress of Citrus Heights, CA. Mom had many talents. She loved to swim, dance, ice skate and roller skate and even taught roller skating for awhile. She was an avid bowler and spent many evenings in Shrewsbury with her friends and teammates rolling that 10 pound ball down those lanes. She could always be found on Wednesday nights playing cards at her mom’s home with her two sisters, eating Dunkin’ Donuts and drinking English tea while the kids played outside or underfoot. She also liked to paint, sew, knit, crochet, and do needle point. She would sneak off whenever possible to Revere Beach and “play the dogs,” as she would say. It was the only form of gambling in the area at the time. And, as if all of that didn’t keep her busy enough, she always held down a full time job. Some of the places that she worked were the Westborough State Hospital, then the Tape Shop, which later became Chase Paper, they eventually built a new building out near Lake Chauncey. She worked at Chase Paper for over 20 years. After leaving Massachusetts for several years and then returning she took a job assembling hand gun magazines for 1911’s in Worcester.
Mom and Dad moved to Idaho in 1972 and divorced in 1973. She then married Rudolph R. Cartmell. The two of them spent much of their time traveling from state to state. They worked on ranches in Arizona, dude ranches in Nevada and snow camps in Montana among other things. Two of Rudy’s children lived with them at different times while they were married. Rudolf D. Cartmell, who sadly passed way to young (January 24,1958-February 4, 2017) and Jared (Blu) Cartmell (born July 2,1971) both of Midland, TX.
Mom moved back to Massachusetts in 1987. She and Rudy divorced and she took up residence with an old boyfriend from the way past, John V Bondanza of Shrewsbury. They were together for more than 25 years when she fell and couldn’t get back up. She was taken by ambulance to St. Vincent’s Hospital. January 19, 2019 due to what was believed to be hospital induced delirium, she was moved to Beaumont Northborough for recovery.
She did not recover and was diagnosed with severe dementia. After almost two and a half years at Beaumont, Mom was placed on Hospice May 12, 2021. Where she continued to decline and went down to a tiny 112 pound frame. I thank our Good Lord that we still occasionally saw glimpses of her mind being clear. Just a few weeks ago when we asked her how old she was, which of course, we knew the answer to, she at first didn’t answer…but when we said, “Are you 93?” She responded, “No! I’m 92.” And another time we were talking about her grandson, Ryan, and then we asked Mom if she remember who Ryan was, Mom responded, “That’s my grandson.”
Mom passed January 5, 2023 into her eternal rest and peace after almost 4 years at Beaumont Northborough Memory Care. Mom leaves behind her sister and brother in law, Paul and Shirley Dwinnell, her two children and their spouses, Fred and June Farson, and Jim and Shirley Kay Childress, six grandchildren, Tavis Kelly of Holden, Judi Farson, Tiffany Mitchell and Dusti Farson of Twin Falls County ID, Christina Landrith of Orangevale, CA and Ryan Gallegos of Plumas Lake, CA, a number of nieces and nephews and 14 Great grandchildren.
Mom, your death leaves us with a heartache no one can ever heal, but our love for you leaves memories no one can ever steal. You will never be more than a thought away, and you will continue to live on in our hearts until the day we are joined together again in our Heavenly Home Forever.
Mom’s services are private and have been under the care of Hays Funeral Home, 56 Main Street, Northborough.
